Built Heritage Initiative | Landscape Group | Imaging Group

Built Heritage Initiative 

2019/20: Sofia Murillo (UCL)

Established in 2016, the Built Heritage Initiative brings together SEAHA students to explore a range of aspects associated with built heritage, from how environmental processes interact with historic buildings to how indoor built environments can be modified to improve conservation practices for housed collections. They define built heritage broadly, encompassing archaeological sites, to historic homes, palaces and castles. Members of the group work on sites located across the world from Ethiopia and China to Norway and the UK, using a range of laboratory tests, on site non-destructive testing and field based experiments to collect data.

The group meets four times a year to:

  • disseminate research progress
  • discuss broad challenges facing research in Built Heritage
  • share state of the art publications
  • improve our lab and fieldwork skills.

They have previously hosted public lectures on Building Information Modelling (BIM) for earthquake damage with speakers from Sapienza University of Rome, and on the conservation of Stave churches in Norway with Sjur Mehlum from the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage

Landscape Heritage Group 

Lead 2019/20: Sam Woor (Oxford)

The Landscape Group was formed in 2019 from the growing number of landscape orientated studentship projects within SEAHA ranging from physical, environmental, or archaeological perspectives to ideas of landscapes as complex cultural and social systems. This group facilitates a space for cross-disciplinary, landscape-focused discussion within SEAHA. 

The aims of the Landscape Group are to:

  • Promote the awareness of both the natural and cultural aspects of landscapes as having significant heritage value. For example this could include geoheritage, biodiversity, land-use, traditional livelihoods etc. 
  • Discuss the challenges faced by landscape heritage and potential opportunities for their management and risk mitigation, especially by anthropogenic pressures such as land-use change and climate change. 
  • Share practical experience of conducting research, especially fieldwork, with a landscape focus and to offer support to those planning field trips

The landscape group holds field trips, lunch seminar, and guest lectures. In 2019/20 their field trip was to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, and they hosted Tom Tew as their guest lecture on ‘Managing Heritage Landscapes: Past, Present and Future’ at St Cross College Oxford.

Imaging Group 

Lead 2019/20: Charlie Willard (UCL)

Founded in 2018, the Imaging Group brings together students with interests in heritage imaging, including multispectral and hyperspectral imaging. 

The Imaging Group aims to:

  • Create discussion space for research progress and challenges for students  
  • Share knowlegde of state-of-the-art equipment, publications, resources, best practices, and standards 
  • Publicise relevant events and training 

In 2018/19 their activities included a tour of the Natural History Museum imaging labs, running a workshop at the 2019 SEAHA Conference and hosting a seminar with a guest speaker from the National Physical Laboratory.